Compressed wire mesh unit



Feb. 22, 1949. A. M. GOODLOE COMPRESSED WIRE MESH UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1944 WHHHHI HI HHHHHHIHHHIQ &v Q [6 w 7% w F 4 A. M. GOODLOE' COMPRESSED WIRE MESH UNIT Filed Dec. 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIQVENTOR. AZfz'ed M 6201508 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 COMPRESSED WIRE MESH UNIT Alfred M. Goodloe, Montclair, N. .l., assignorto Metal Textile Corporation, West Orange, N. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application December 12, 1944, Serial No. 567,892

1 Claim.

This invention relates to resilienkcgmpressed wire mesh units.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel compact and yet resilient body produced from a wire mesh fabric, and preferably from a knitted wire mesh fabric, which after being arranged in a loosely radially prefolded condition has been thereupon compressed so as to collapse, interentangle and mutually interlock the folds,

plies and the mesh wires thereof, whereby to pro-v vide a self form sustaining unitary mass of desired density and elastic compressibility; the compressed wire mesh body so characterized being adapted for many various uses, but being especially well adapted for use as a shock absorber element, vibration dampening means, or the like.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The accompanying drawings show an illustrative embodiment ofthe novel compressed wire mesh body or unit, including steps in the method of producing the same.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of knitted wire fabric ma-' terial from which the novel compressed body or unit may be made; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a mold showing the mesh fabric applied thereto ready for insertion in the mold cavity; Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the method step of prefolding and inserting the mesh fabric in the mold cavity; Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view, showing a compression plunger about to enter the mold cavity to engage and compress the prefolded mesh fabric deposited therein; Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view, showing the compression plunger during the course of its operative stroke within the mold cavity, whereby to collapse, interentangle and mutally interlock the folds and plies of the mesh fabric and the mesh wires thereof; Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view showing the completion of the operative stroke of the compression plunger by which the completed compressed wire mesh body or unit is formed; Fig. '7 is a similar sectional view, showing the mold and its contained completed body or unit positioned for ejection of the latter; and Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view, showing the operation of an ejector plunger for discharging the body or unit from the mold cavity.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a compressed wire mesh body or unit made according to the invention.

Similar characters in the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

The compressed wire mesh body or unit according to this invention is produced substantially as follows: I

- A suitable length and width of preferably knitted metallic mesh fabric F is provided. Such fabric may be knitted from round or flat wire of selected gauge and of a desired metal. The fabric may be either flat of tubular knit, but preferably the latter; and may be of selected mesh loop size,

The fabric F is first manipulated to produce therefrom an initial formation of radially pleated and overlapped folds which are upturned to give the formation a generally cylindrical shape. Thereafter said initial formation is subjected to compression in the direction of its length, whereby to collapse the piles or folds longitudinally upon themselves so as to produce therefrom additional laterally disposed interentangled and mutually interlocked folds and plies, the mesh wire loops of which are also interengaged and entangled, so that a relatively dense self form sustaining body mass of,v more or less compressible elasticity is obtained.

The aforesaid fabric manipulating operations,

are carried out in conjunction with a suitable molding means for controlling the ultimate body shape of the compressed wire mesh unit, such, e. g., as an upwardly open and initially bottom closed mold block 20 having a mold cavity 2| of selected cross sectional shape. The fabric F is preferably first folded upon itself a desired number of times, whereby to obtain a flat initial body f formed by a plurality of superimposed piles of the knitted wire mesh by which said fabric is constituted. Said initial body f is laid across the open top of the mold block 20 ready for insertion into the mold cavity 2i (see Fig. 2). Under these conditions, the mold block 20 is presented in aligned opposition to a reciprocable fabric body inserting and folding plunger 22; said piungt: 22 being of considerably less crosssectional area than that of the mold cavity 2|. Upon its descending stroke, said inserting and folding plunger 22 engages the fabric body I and thrusts the same downwardly into the interior of the mold cavity 2|. As said fabric body I is thus moved into the mold cavity 2i, those portions of said fabric body extending from and around the inserting and folding plunger 22 are, by engagement with the side walls of the mold cavity and between the same and said plunger, not only upof references are e p turned about said plunger 22, but are at the same time formed into a plurality of longitudinally extending radial folds or pleats 1', whereby the fabric body f is disposed to produce an initial formation of generally cylindrical shape (see Fig. 3).

The fabric body I having been thus deposited ters the mold cavity 2| and descends therein, it

engages the pleated wire mesh fabric formation contained therein so as to exert thereupon an endwise applied collapsing and crushing pressure of selected-magnitude. Under the thus applied compressive crushing force, the longitudinal pleated folds and included contiguous plies of the,

wire mesh fabric are zigzagged into laterally extending, interentangled, and mutually interlocked additional folds, the wire mesh loops of which are also interengaged and entangled, until at the end of the operative stroke of the compression plunger, the initial fabric body has been crushed down and compressed into a completed self form sustaining body or unit B having a mass of substantial density, and yet possessed of more or less compressible elasticity, according to the degree of compacting force applied thereto by the compression plunger (see Figs. 5 and 6).

The compressed wire mesh body or unit B having been formed in the mold cavity 2|, the mold block 20 is next presented in aligned opposition to a body ejector plunger 24, and so arranged that the bottom end of the mold cavity is open for outward movement of a formed body or unit B therefrom (see Fig. 7) As the ejector plunger 24 is caused to descend into and through the mold cavity 2|, it engages the formed body or unit B, and by exercise of downward thrust thereupon, moves the same'outwardly through the open bottom end .of the mold cavity 2|, thus discharging the same from the mold (see Fig. 8). In the production of the compressed wire mesh body or unit B as above set forth, it will be understood that the same, when formed under a selected predetermined load or compression pressure, will, upon completion, possess compressible elasticity adapted to provide a resilient characteristic whereby the same will be elastically responsive to loads less than that of the forming pressure. For example, assuming the forming pressure to be 18,000 pounds, the body or unit will be capable of reactive deflection under loads of less than 18,000 pounds, and even under comparatively light loads of as little as 50 pounds or less. By reason of this, in use, the body or unit will be capable of complete recovery under vibration or shock to which it may be subjected, where the shock pressure or load is less than that of the forming pressure or load. In addition to this, due to considerable internal friction between contiguous portions of the entangled wire strands of the compressed mesh material, it appears that more energy is absorbed by the body or unit under shock load, and with less amplitude of deflective movement, than would be the case with other materials, such as coil springs, rubber or similar materials, heretofore employed as vibration dampeners, shock absorbers, buffers and the like. It would also appear, that in the compressed wire mesh body or unit of this invention, its coeflicient of resiliency and amplitude of deflection will, within reasonable limits, be inversely proportional to the magnitude of forming pressure employed; in other words, if the forming pressure is low the coefficient of resiliency and amplitude of deflection will be comparatively high, and, vice versa, if the forming pressure is high the coeillcient of resiliency and amplitude of deflection will be relatively low. It will therefore be understood that in the production thereof, the novel compressed wire mesh bodies or units may be variously graded, as to their coefllcient of resiliency and amplitude of deflection, to selectively and efficiently adapt the same to particular given conditions of use in the exercise of shock absorbing, vibration dampening, cushioning and similar effects.

Having now described the several phases of the invention, what is claimed is:

forming pressure or load.

ALFRED M. GOODLOE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,859,310 Martin May 24, 1932 1,959,104 Mahan May 15, 1934 1,991,023 Mayer Feb. 12, 1935 1,995,808 Homon Mar. 26, 1935 1,995,809 Homon Mar. 26, 1935 2,196,076 Moran Apr. 2, 1940 2,215,467 Goodloe et a1 Sept. 24, 1940 2,334,263

Hartwell Nov. 16, 1943 

